I ride in some dirty nasty water and wash all my vests once a month in an industrial washing machine (the huge ones at the laundry mat). Just set it on the delicate cycle and enjoy a cold beverage in the parking lot!! Dont use too much detergent...

don't be afraid to put it in the washing machine. It's made to be in water and they're more durable than the clothes you wash every day. Just don't do that to often and when you do use cold water on a gentle cycle. When it really comes down to it a new vest is always a good thing to get for Christmas.

A buddy that was big into diving would wash his wetsuit with a rag and some dawn and rinse it good. I never thought of trying the washing machine. I need to do something cuz last weekend I definitely noticed a funky odor when I put it on. Smells like a$$ and mushrooms.

I wouldn't put it in a washing machine unless it was a front loader. The aggitator in the middle of most home washing machines i dont think is very good on the jacket. Plus when i washed mine the spin cycle spun the jacket so fast that when a part of it hit the lid (or something on the inside) that it burned right through the straps and then a little through the vest before i stopped the machine from the crazy noise. the cuts looked as if a hot knife were used to cut it. I repaired it with shoe goo and mom's sewing

(FYI. i was washing it because the vest soaked up the smoke smell from when my upstairs neighbors caught the house on fire. All my and my wife's stuff was fine, just wet and smokey... but couldnt say the same for the neighbors, at least they were not hurt though)

(FYI GET RENTERS INSURANCE!!! for those of you renting... it might save you some day or make you temporary rich... we could have made bank if we had it, especially since we really didn't loose anything, it was just a big inconvenience really)